Homemade Caramel Frappuccino — This drink is too good to be true! It’s cold, creamy, rich, and satisfying, plus it’s easy to customize. Way BETTER than Starbucks!
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Better-Than-Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Recipe
I can suck down iced coffees like nobody’s business and would go broke if I had to buy them out. A $5 dollar drink lasts me maybe 63 seconds.
Which is why this copycat Starbucks Frappuccino recipe is perfect. It’s icy and bulkier, so it takes me longer to inhale.
This caramel frappuccino recipe makes two large drinks. If you were at Starbucks, we’re talking two venti drinks. Feel free to halve the recipe, or quarter it, if you’re not as much of a java addict or power drinker.
If you don’t inhale it all right away and let the drink melt while you’re taking too many photos, the coffee will begin to separate and fall to the bottom of the mug. Give it a quick stir and problem solved.
Homemade caramel Frappuccinos are creamy, frothy, foamy, fluffy, and satisfying. Even better, the recipe is ready in about 1 minute, I can quench my thirst, save money, and get my caffeine on, in one fell swoop.
Caramel sauce, whipped cream, and coffee are three of my favorite food groups.
Ingredients in a Caramel Frappuccino
To make this copycat Starbucks caramel Frappuccino recipe, you’ll need:
- Ice cubes
- Brewed coffee, allowed to cool completely
- Milk of choice
- Sweetener of choice (white stevia powder, liquid vanilla stevia drops, Splenda, or granulated sugar)
- Vanilla extract (optional but recommended)
- Fat-free whipped topping (or whipped cream)
- Caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought, may use sugar-free if desired)
How to Make a Caramel Frappuccino
If you’ve never made a caramel Frappuccino at home, you’re in for a treat! The process is so simple. If you’ve made a smoothie before, you can make a Frappuccino yourself.
- To make this caramel Frappuccino, simply combine all the ingredients (minus the two garnishes) in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Give it a taste and adjust the flavors as needed, adding more milk or coffee as you see fit.
- Pour your Frappuccino into a large glass and dollop whipped topping on top, followed by a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- This caramel Frappuccino is best enjoyed right away, but it’s still delicious even after it melts a bit.
Tips for the Best Caramel Frappuccino
Instead of brewed, fully cooled coffee, you can also freeze leftover coffee in an ice cube tray and use coffee cubes instead of some of the ice cubes. Your Frappuccino would be incredibly strong, but some people may like that!
Also, you can find cold brew coffee in most stores now, so feel free to use that instead of coffee you brewed and chilled yourself.
Just double check that your store-bought coffee has no sugar in it, as that may make your drink too sweet.
Recipe FAQs
Not at all! I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but you may use any dairy or non-dairy milk you like. I just recommend using unsweetened milk, otherwise your drink will come out far too sweet.
Yep! You can use any sweetener you’d like. Just add in a little at a time until you figure out exactly how much you like.
And if you don’t like sweet drinks, you can always omit the sweetener and make a blended caramel iced coffee instead.
Totally! I recommend making the full recipe and putting the extra portion in the freezer, and the next time you want one, it’s ready. No need to dirty the blender.
All you have to do is let it defrost a bit, either 30 minutes at room temp or about 1 minute in the microwave. Or you can kind of pick at it, granita-style.
Just note that if you plan on freezing part of your homemade caramel frappuccino, you should wait to top it with whipped topping and caramel sauce until just before you eat it.
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Homemade Caramel Frappuccino
Ingredients
- 3 cups ice cubes, 3 big handfuls of cubed ice, not crushed ice
- 1 cup cold strong coffee, previously brewed and chilled
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, or your favorite milk
- sugar-free sweetener, white stevia powder, liquid vanilla stevia drops, Splenda, or your favorite, to taste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 2 tablespoons fat free whipped topping, for garnishing
- 1 tablespoon sugarfree caramel sauce, for garnishing
Instructions
- Combine first 5 ingredients in the canister of a blender and blend until smooth, creamy, fluffy, frothy, and combined, less than 1 minute.
- Taste, and if necessary, adjust with a splash more coffee, milk, dash of sweetener, or a few ice cubes.
- Garnish with whipped topping and caramel sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I freeze my strong coffee in ice trays, so when it starts to melt. You get coffee instead of weak water.
Yummmm! This is perfect for a hot summer day!
The skinny Carmel frappuccino is great. Beats spending money at Starbucks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I agree about saving money!
If you add a pinch of pectin or xantham gum it won’t separate- that’s the Starbucks trick. I also add a smudge of unsweetened cocoa powder bc I’m a mocha girl.
Just saw your earlier x gum response, pectin is easier for most people. I know another person who can’t tolerate xg either and that’s who turned me on to pectin.
This is a work of art! love it:-)
Hi everyone,
I wanted to let you all know about my healthy lifestyle blog
what is the link? i would love to take a look :-)
Link for what?
Looks so awesome Averie!
This looked so good I wanted to lick the page!
I tried this, and I was sorely disappointed. I had to throw it out. :( I would much rather have a simple iced coffee over this.
Sorry that you didn’t like it. It’s just coffee blended with ice, milk, and sweetener. But if you prefer just coffee over ice, now you know you own preference. Maybe the ratios you used of milk/sweetener/coffee/ice weren’t spot-on for your taste preferences and maybe they may require some tweaking if you’re ever game to try again.
how much of the sugar free sweetener do you use?!
Enough to get it sweet enough to taste. Everyone’s different and so are brands/types, i.e. stevia vs. Splenda, etc.
I am allergic to almond. Is there another milk I can use that would be just as good?
Use whatever milk you like and can have then – rice, soy, cow’s, etc. It may not be as ‘skinny’ but I wouldn’t worry about the slight difference that using another milk may change the stats. Enjoy!
How did I miss THIS?!
Enjoy :)
If you add a pinch of xantham gum it will not separate and get a bit thicker.
I am familiar with XG but I cannot digest it. There is something in it that gives me a horrible reaction. I’ll spare you the details :) Same with Guar Gum.
That is too bad that you can’t tolerate it. I use it in tiny quantities and only occasionally since I heard it is not the healthiest.
I had to have one of these this morning, and with no leftover coffee, had to improvise. I had some Starbucks VIA packets, so I used them with my Almond Milk, truvia packets, Torani sugar free chocolate syrup, ice, and blended away. Whipped cream on top and I was in heaven.
Thanks for making my day!
Great job on improvising and so glad you loved it – and that it made your day. That’s awesome :)
This is perfect, it has my name written all over it!! Must make soon :)
You totally got my at 50 calories!
I love the Carmel drinks but I don’t like the coffee. So usally I just ask to use cream base instead. But I don’t know how to make it myself. Anyone know?
If you don’t like coffee and you’re asking for a cream base, likely they are just fixing you a cream (or milk) + caramel drink with some ice. Probably pretty rich and decadent :) Very easy to duplicate at home. Cream, caramel, ice, blend. Done.